Mitski: A Live Review

On Nov. 3, Mitski performed to a sold-out crowd of 2,300 at The Warfield in San Francisco during her sold-out “Be the Cowboy” tour, which spans from October through December. Her latest album, “Be the Cowboy,” was released earlier this year on Aug. 17 and features popular singles that were performed live such as “Geyser,” “Nobody” and “Two Slow Dancers.”

Supporting Mitski on tour was electronic-pop duo from New York, the Overcoats. Dressed appropriately in oversized coats and sparkly, heeled boots, Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell helped establish the mood for the rest of the night by prompting an energized dance party among the crowd.

The Overcoats performing at The Warfield in San Francisco.

Despite their infectious energy, the Overcoats took the time to address the current state of the world and shared their recent loss of a friend due to gun violence at the age of 22, followed by a chilling cover of “Imagine” by John Lennon. The duo also teased a new song from their forthcoming album, following their debut album, “YOUNG,” which was released on April 21, 2017.

Mitski took the stage shortly after, opening with “Remember My Name.” The crowd erupted with applause, which continued throughout the entirety of her set and was received by Mitski extremely graciously. Though she performed the majority of her new album, old favorites were also incorporated such as “Your Best American Girl” from 2016’s “Puberty 2,” “Francis Forever” from 2014’s “Bury Me at Makeout Creek” and “I Want You” from 2013’s “Retired from Sad, New Career in Business.”

The stage was decorated with enticing smoke and three screens which projected varying backgrounds of the elements including fire, water, nature and space. Choreographed dancing accompanied each song, all of which being extremely methodical and somewhat robotic.

Whether her arms were traveling up her sides like a clock or she was pacing the stage for a continuous three minutes, Mitski’s body language emphasized her lyrics and emotion being translated within her music. Shorts were worn underneath her skirt, as well as matching knee pads, allowing her to throw her body helplessly to the ground and crawl desperately around the stage.

Towards the end of her set, Mitski acknowledged a few important people in attendance, including a fan account dedicated to her on Instagram. In between her sincere remarks of gratitude, Mitski stated, “Everyone brings their own lives and their own stories and we’re all here together, even if it’s only for an hour, and there’s something really beautiful about that.”